AH Challenge: Smaller WW1

The challenge is to make WW1 not seem like a World War and more of a 1914 version of the Seven Years War or Napoleonic War.

It still will be fought all over the world and the combatants are still major powers. One of the powers must also fall to Revolution. Make it like WW1, but not recognised by the world as a War to End All Wars.

Bonus points if it is Britain that falls to revolution.
 
No British involvement would certainly meet this. One must assume at the very least that the Germans don't invade Belgium. Other spin-offs are:

1) Minor powers such as Japan and Portugal sitting it out too along with Italy.

2) With the Royal Navy on thr sidelines, colonial actions could very well be German invasion of particular French colonies.

3) Without Britain to aggravate the situation, the Ottoman Empire could sit it out too.

4) The war still ends with revolution in Russia.
 
Is utilising the Willy-Nicky telegrams with some butterflies an option? If Germany could convince Russia to stay out and the war was contained between Serbia and Austria-Hungary, there is a comparatively minor war in the Balkans, though by no means two-sided if Serbia can use diplomatic persuasion and its Balkan alliances in its favour.
 
Is utilising the Willy-Nicky telegrams with some butterflies an option? If Germany could convince Russia to stay out and the war was contained between Serbia and Austria-Hungary, there is a comparatively minor war in the Balkans, though by no means two-sided if Serbia can use diplomatic persuasion and its Balkan alliances in its favour.
That would limit the war to just part of Europe which I believe is far less than the original brief. In fact any war involving just the Austro-Hungarian empire on one side is going to be limited because they did not have overseas colonies as other great powers did. I believe though they did have some troops in China.
 

pelican32

No British involvement would certainly meet this. One must assume at the very least that the Germans don't invade Belgium. Other spin-offs are:

1) Minor powers such as Japan and Portugal sitting it out too along with Italy.

2) With the Royal Navy on thr sidelines, colonial actions could very well be German invasion of particular French colonies.

3) Without Britain to aggravate the situation, the Ottoman Empire could sit it out too.

4) The war still ends with revolution in Russia.

not necessarily, with the Ottoman Empire's neutrality, Russia would be able to receive aid through means of the Black Sea. This would lead to a stronger Russia.

Also, with Britain's neutrality, the Zimmerman telegram would have remained a secret. Without the publication of the Zimmerman telegram the United States could have remained neutral.
 
not necessarily, with the Ottoman Empire's neutrality, Russia would be able to receive aid through means of the Black Sea. This would lead to a stronger Russia.
There is no guarantee that a supply route from France can be set up. The Central Powers naval forces would be greater that of the Entente and they could stop movement of shipping between southern France and the Bosphorous.

The counter to that is the Entente to use neutral shipping and we will presume that the Central Powers don't tick off Britain at attacking it. It would cost though in hard currency which the Entente would start to run short on or have to borrow.

So a stronger Russia, yes in the short term, but still advantage Central Powers
 
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